Of all the talented young neo classic composers coming out of Germany in the past years, Jan Roth surely is one of the most critically underrated ones. Maybe because that whole ‘neo classic’ label is just one that limit his skills and musical vision. He’s a hungry and restless musical adventurer and 2013’s praised debut album L.O.W. was a proof for that. Following a way too long break, Jan Roth is now ready to start a new chapter in his career and it looks like he might ‘design’ that chapter in his familiar and confident artistic stubbornness.
But a new chapter can only start once the previous one is closed, so today NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION is debuting both – the end of the past and the start of the future for Jan Roth. First, we present you this truly wonderful animated music video for Glühwürmchen (‘firefly’), taken from the L.O.W. debut album. Created by Marcel Vockrodt it follows that mentioned firefly through a magical nightly environment and we think it’s the best possible visual setting for this tender piece. See for yourself right here:
Well, and after that delicate nightfly we’re landing straight in the here and now as Jan Roth today returns with first music from his sophomore studio album. The record goes by the name Kleinod and will arrive on May 18 via Sinnbus. You can vaguely translate the word Kleinod as ‘gem’ and that feels like a fitting title for the composer’s new chapter. It took him a while before he figured out how a second full-length might sound and feel like. The obvious paths and options sometimes aren’t the best ones and Roth seems to be an artist that doesn’t chase after the music. It just happens to him at some point.
Artwork of ‘Kleinod’, Album out on May 18
And in this case it happend via the help of some befriended musicians. And probably even to his surprise, Kleinod indeed became a full band album, althouh Jan Roth and his gang prefer to leave space for each other, making the entire album less of a ‘in your face’ experience. The composer’s unobtrusive piano unites the seven other instruments played on the album; but more as an underlying texture in the background. Herbst (‘autumn’), the first piece we are exclusively debuting today already gives a great impression of how this mixture sounds in the end. A gentle, almost jazzy groove pairs with sweet melancholia, making it a fitting track to start this new album which the artist describes in the following words:
‘Kleinod is not an escape from reality. Rather, it is a certain way of looking at the things that are happening right now in the world – through the eyes of someone who actually just finds it funny what people do to themselves and their beautiful planet. Fighting, rushing, constantly comparing, competing, hating – that’s for beginners! But I’m not here to point to others. I’m just offering some solutions. Do whatever you want with it. I really don’t care. Or do I…’
Get ready to find that our for yourself and start the next chapter of Roth‘s career right here.